James Francis Gill, born in 1934 in Tahoka, Texas, rose to prominence in the 1960s as a leading figure in American Pop Art, earning early acclaim when his Marilyn Triptych was acquired by the Museum of Modern Art. Known for blending celebrity imagery with social and political commentary, he exhibited alongside Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein before retreating from the art world in 1972 to work in isolation. Returning to public view in the 1980s, Gill continued to evolve his style, later embracing digital techniques to reimagine iconic figures through his distinctive “Metamage” mixed-media process.